Gardaí arrived to a Cork home that was "covered in blood" after a 63-year-old man tried to murder his partner by repeatedly stabbing her, the Central Criminal Court has heard.
Taking the stand at the court on Wednesday, Patrick O'Rourke apologised "sincerely and unconditionally" to his former partner Donna Foster for what he had done.
The court heard that as a result of the “horrific” attack, Ms Foster’s airways were exposed in her neck and she had injuries to her upper abdomen through which her small intestine was visible.
Ms Foster told gardaí that O’Rourke “never stopped stabbing her” and felt that she was going to die.
Today on the stand O’Rourke wished her “health, happiness and success in her life” and said that their years together were the “happiest” of his life.
Patrick O'Rourke of Cooline Drive, Ballyvoloon, Cobh, Co Cork, was charged with attempting to murder Ms Foster at Cooline Drive on August 11, 2015.
On Monday at the Central Criminal Court, O’Rourke pleaded not guilty to the charge and a jury was sworn in to hear his trial.
At 2pm on Wednesday Brendan Grehan SC asked for his client to be rearraigned and arraigned on another count.
Mr Grehan also asked the court for an opportunity for his client to read a letter of apology to the court.
O’Rourke then pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Ms Foster in Cork last year.
He also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a minor at the same address on the same date.
Mr Justice McCarthy told the jury that as the accused had pleaded guilty, there was no need to hold a trial. He thanked them for their patience and exempted them from jury service for a period of 10 years.
Remanded in custody
O’Rourke was then remanded in custody ahead of his sentence hearing on November 25th when victim-impact statements will be read to the court.
Earlier prosecution counsel Tim O’Leary SC called Det Garda Bill Dillane from Cobh Garda station to give evidence.
The court heard that Donna Foster was living with O’Rourke in Cobh when the offences took place.
Det Garda Dillane agreed with Mr O’Leary that there had been “difficulties” with the couple’s partnership and there were “suggestions of separation”.
The court heard that a 999 call was made at 10.30am on August 11th saying that a serious incident had occurred.
Det Garda Dillane was on duty at the time and attended the scene.
“As I drove into the estate there was a green area and I saw Patrick O’Rourke over to the extreme left of it and he was on the telephone, he looked dishevelled,” he said.
As he stopped outside the house, a neighbour told the detective that Ms Foster was in the house and she was “hurt”.
“There was an armchair in the middle of the floor and Donna was kneeling down, face into the armchair and the place was covered in blood as was the chair,” he said.
There were two minors in the kitchen and one of them had “blood coming from her at the time”, he said. Emergency services were called to the scene.
Det Garda Dillane said he went to the green area where O’Rourke was.
“He [O’Rourke] said he was in trouble and he did it and asked if she was still alive,” said Garda Dillane.
O’Rourke was then arrested and placed in the patrol car.
The two minors were removed from the house and Det Garda Dillane noticed one of them had a “severe laceration to the palm of” her hand.
O’Rourke told Det Garda Dillane where he had thrown the knife which he had used to commit the two assaults.
The witness agreed with Mr O’Leary that statements given by Ms Foster and the minor confirmed they had been attacked with “a boning knife” on the same day.
Ms Foster had suffered “quite horrific injuries”, said Det Garda Dillane.
‘Kill you’
The witness agreed with Mr O’Leary that the accused said to Ms Foster as he moved on top of her with the knife: “I am going to fucking kill you.”
The witness added that “at that stage Donna was sitting on the armchair and he was standing over her and all the stab wounds were in a downward motion”.
The court heard that a minor then came into the kitchen and “almost” threw herself at the accused.
The witness agreed with counsel that Ms Foster and the minor both remember the accused say: “I’m going to get her in the heart.” This remark was directed at Ms Foster.
The court heard that the minor went in between the accused and Ms Foster and it was then that she suffered injury.
Ms Foster’s wounds were closed the following day in an operation at Cork University Hospital which took four hours.
Det Garda Dillane agreed with counsel that it was the consultant surgeon thought Ms Foster’s injuries “extremely serious” and life threatening. She was discharged from hospital two weeks later. She has made a “relatively good recovery” but as a result of her injuries she will not be returning to work as a beautician.
The minor who was injured in the attack still has problems with her right hand as the tendons leading to her index fingers have not recovered completely.
The court heard that O’Rourke has been in custody since August 11th last year and has had access to bail but never availed of it.
Det Garda Dillane told the court that O’Rourke worked locally as a taxi driver in Cobh and he had never come to Garda attention before.